Jason A: How Do Extracurricular Activities Play A Role In Student Achievement?
Many individuals focus merely on student achievement in relation to testing and teacher effectiveness. But I chose to focus how extracurricular involvement helps children succeed in the classroom. I will take into account the correlation between school activities (sports and music programs) and student achievement in the classroom, according to GPA and behaviors. The exploration of the dynamic relationship between activity involvement and student development and achievement has revealed a complexity of concepts and variables which often reflect a large amount of connections. The links between extracurricular programs and academic achievement assert that there are several sociological explanations for how involvement in extracurricular activities influences improved student development and achievement. The first of these sociological explanations is the “developmental model,” which asserts, “…participating in sports socializes adolescents in ways that promote educational success ...by teaching characteristics such as a strong work ethic, respect for authority, and perseverance, sports participation develops skills that are consistent with educational values and thus helps students achieve”. These traits are an example of a “hidden curriculum” that supports and enhances student achievement, creating a bridge from the practice field to the classroom in life skills that are conditioned into the students. Accordingly, these skills enhance their educational performance. Additionally, researcher Beckett A. Broh summarized it best when he said, “…playing sports develops ‘character’ in athletes that increases their desire and ability to achieve academically”
Rachel S: How does No Child Left Behind affect student achievement?
While No Child Left Behind makes standardized testing mandatory, it fails to create a national curriculum. Each state makes its own curriculum and test, making state-to-state comparisons impossible. When showing test results, the act not only requires schools to give an overall average, but they must also divide the student body into groups based on race, economic situation, disabilities, etc., which at a glance would seem to encourage schools to make sure the needs of every group are met, but in reality leads to schools with higher concentrations of students with disabilities, students in poverty, etc. being penalized as they are likely to have lower test scores. The main issue with NCLB is the importance of test grades. It puts too much at stake and, instead of helping schools which are struggling to meet the act's unrealistic goals, cuts funding from the schools which really need extra funding.
Kyle W: How is Student Achievement Measured for Those Who Do Not Fit the Norm?
One thing to student achievement, one generally focuses on the average student making measurable easy-to-understand progress toward certain goals and standards. Unfortunately, for a large portion of the student population, this is not the case. Many students within the general student population have voted on a specific learning disabilities. These disabilities change the way they learn but do not change the fact they can and will often exceed expectations, when given material in the proper way. Many of these students are very intelligent and often qualify as both gifted and learning-disabled. This project will look at how we can effectively measure achievement for this unique group of students and ensure that they are achieving as much as possible.
Sammie L: What measures achievement? What makes these tests good measurements to use?
When trying to understand aspects of student achievement, one must be able to understand measures of achievement and aptitude. There are three different types of tests that are used school-wide: norm-referenced, criterion-referenced and diagnostic tests. These tests encompass many of the tests college students remember taking through their primary and secondary school years. In order to know what these three types of tests are testing, the difference between achievement and aptitude also needs to be established.
The next important part of understanding student achievement is in regards to understanding what makes these tests good measures. One must understand how to interpret the reliability and validity of certain tests. It is important to know if a test is not reliable, it cannot be valid. If a test is reliable, then you can attribute each students’ scores or performance on their actual ability, because each student is being administered the same test, the same way, under the same conditions. If a test is valid, then it is measuring exactly what it is supposed to be measuring. For instance, a reading test given to students should not have math problems on it. You can trust that the test is an accurate measure for the topics or skill levels being assessed.
Finally, the last important part that plays a role in affecting the measures of student achievement is test construction itself. There are two ways to assess test construction. One way is to assess the test based on item difficulty. The second way is to assess the test based on item discrimination.
III. Group Project Overview
Our presentation will cover the various measures of student achievement within the educational system. Our presentation will begin with; a general overview of how effective tests are made and what qualities results in the best measures of student achievement. Followed by Jason's presentation of how extracurricular activities benefits and can increase student achievement, then on a different note Kyle Weinreich's presentation on assessments for students who do not fit the educational more, specifically students with learning disabilities. and finally, there will be an overview of how the no Child left behind act is affected, assessment achievement and accountability within the school system by Rachel Steyert.
I. Description of Problem or Issue:
II. Research Summary:
Jason A: How Do Extracurricular Activities Play A Role In Student Achievement?
Many individuals focus merely on student achievement in relation to testing and teacher effectiveness. But I chose to focus how extracurricular involvement helps children succeed in the classroom. I will take into account the correlation between school activities (sports and music programs) and student achievement in the classroom, according to GPA and behaviors. The exploration of the dynamic relationship between activity involvement and student development and achievement has revealed a complexity of concepts and variables which often reflect a large amount of connections. The links between extracurricular programs and academic achievement assert that there are several sociological explanations for how involvement in extracurricular activities influences improved student development and achievement.
The first of these sociological explanations is the “developmental model,” which asserts, “…participating in sports socializes adolescents in ways that promote educational success ...by teaching characteristics such as a strong work ethic, respect for authority, and perseverance, sports participation develops skills that are consistent with educational values and thus helps students achieve”. These traits are an example of a “hidden curriculum” that supports and enhances student achievement, creating a bridge from the practice field to the classroom in life skills that are conditioned into the students. Accordingly, these skills enhance their educational performance. Additionally, researcher Beckett A. Broh summarized it best when he said, “…playing sports develops ‘character’ in athletes that increases their desire and ability to achieve academically”
Rachel S: How does No Child Left Behind affect student achievement?
While No Child Left Behind makes standardized testing mandatory, it fails to create a national curriculum. Each state makes its own curriculum and test, making state-to-state comparisons impossible. When showing test results, the act not only requires schools to give an overall average, but they must also divide the student body into groups based on race, economic situation, disabilities, etc., which at a glance would seem to encourage schools to make sure the needs of every group are met, but in reality leads to schools with higher concentrations of students with disabilities, students in poverty, etc. being penalized as they are likely to have lower test scores. The main issue with NCLB is the importance of test grades. It puts too much at stake and, instead of helping schools which are struggling to meet the act's unrealistic goals, cuts funding from the schools which really need extra funding.
Kyle W: How is Student Achievement Measured for Those Who Do Not Fit the Norm?
One thing to student achievement, one generally focuses on the average student making measurable easy-to-understand progress toward certain goals and standards. Unfortunately, for a large portion of the student population, this is not the case. Many students within the general student population have voted on a specific learning disabilities. These disabilities change the way they learn but do not change the fact they can and will often exceed expectations, when given material in the proper way. Many of these students are very intelligent and often qualify as both gifted and learning-disabled. This project will look at how we can effectively measure achievement for this unique group of students and ensure that they are achieving as much as possible.Sammie L: What measures achievement? What makes these tests good measurements to use?
When trying to understand aspects of student achievement, one must be able to understand measures of achievement and aptitude. There are three different types of tests that are used school-wide: norm-referenced, criterion-referenced and diagnostic tests. These tests encompass many of the tests college students remember taking through their primary and secondary school years. In order to know what these three types of tests are testing, the difference between achievement and aptitude also needs to be established.
The next important part of understanding student achievement is in regards to understanding what makes these tests good measures. One must understand how to interpret the reliability and validity of certain tests. It is important to know if a test is not reliable, it cannot be valid. If a test is reliable, then you can attribute each students’ scores or performance on their actual ability, because each student is being administered the same test, the same way, under the same conditions. If a test is valid, then it is measuring exactly what it is supposed to be measuring. For instance, a reading test given to students should not have math problems on it. You can trust that the test is an accurate measure for the topics or skill levels being assessed.
Finally, the last important part that plays a role in affecting the measures of student achievement is test construction itself. There are two ways to assess test construction. One way is to assess the test based on item difficulty. The second way is to assess the test based on item discrimination.
III. Group Project Overview
Our presentation will cover the various measures of student achievement within the educational system. Our presentation will begin with; a general overview of how effective tests are made and what qualities results in the best measures of student achievement. Followed by Jason's presentation of how extracurricular activities benefits and can increase student achievement, then on a different note Kyle Weinreich's presentation on assessments for students who do not fit the educational more, specifically students with learning disabilities. and finally, there will be an overview of how the no Child left behind act is affected, assessment achievement and accountability within the school system by Rachel Steyert.IV. Visual Representation
V. Research Questions & Reference Summaries
IV. Group Reaction and Opinion About the Issue